Logic Pro (X) Logic channel strip plug-in settings or performances?

angelonyc

Logician
I try a lot of alternate tracks in Logic. Some of them are complicated with an instrument and 2 or more effects, carefully balanced); I would like to keep them till end of song to make final decision. Lately I turn them into audio. and save the virtual midi track as a channel strip setting...I then turn off the instruments and effects on midi track.. But by calling up the channel strip preset, I can retrieve the sound exactly, should I wish to change some recorded notes.

My question, is - can I save these channel preset strips to an external folder with my song files, and later put back into channel strip plug-ins folder and use again. should I come back to song in 6 months or a year?...

As I remember from Logic 9. There weren't that many channel strip settings.. and would disappear after time. (of their own accord - am I missing something here)
 
My question, is - can I save these channel preset strips to an external folder with my song files, and later put back into channel strip plug-ins folder and use again. should I come back to song in 6 months or a year?...
No function I am aware of. Performances do not help, they just call existing channelstrip settings by program change events. Logic not only restricts you to its own storage location, it also puts channelstrip settings in dedicated folders like audio, instrument, aux etc. Means, you cannot load a simple effects chain to an aux if the setting was stored for an instrument channel.

To work around these very unfriendly restrictions, I use "containers" like DDMF Metaplugin or the Plogue Bidule Plugin to arrange and route my effects (often together with instruments) as I like and save the plugin setting of the "container" where I want. Contrary to Logic channelstrips and plugins, most third party plugins allow to store and load their settings freely.

Of course, single plugin settings of containers do not store channelstrip parameters like volume, pan, sends, mute etc. Doesn't matter for me, most times those are controlled by automation anyway.

General restriction with containers: No Logic plugins can be used, only third party. But both, Metaplugin and Bidule, support the AU and the VST format, even mixed in one patch.

— — — — —

By the way ...

... if you are in experimental or effects-loaden music with third party plugins, containers may generally be an option for you. See the example below – two virtual instruments fed by one source, a panner, a modulator, a drone and a pitch plugin, routed across stereo channels. Imagine this routing in the traditional way and what storing all the settings would mean to you ...

image.png

... they all live better in a single container, don't they?
In this case it is the DDMF Metaplugin sitting in the instrument slot of a Logic instrument channelstrip.

The DDMF Metaplugin costs $50, Bidule costs $100 (you have to to buy the standalone version to get the plugin). I recommend Bidule for better stability and far more processing options, including MIDI- and audio routing to and from all available hardware- and virtual ports right within the patch.
 
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Thanx for the detailed explanation Peter.. My intention with a new Mac Pro, was to run everything live MIDI until song was in final shape.. I have about 25-35 live Midi tracks, with mostly 3rd party plug-ins and a Tyros, Intrega, and Motif XS for hardware..

Even with a 2015 Mac Pro, Logic does not like loading in all these plug-ins.. Logic becomes unstable, freezes.. When Song is nearing completion. and I feel certain tracks are keepers, I turn into audio (can still re-edit and re-record if I need) make a channel strip, and reset channel. It frees up Logic..

Problem is I already have 25 channel strips for one song.. On older versions of Logic, channel settings would disappear, at least from main dialogue box.. I want to have the whole work song complete.. So I can come back to it 6 months a year later, and have all options all variations available.. But at this point, I'll have hundreds and hundreds of channel strips..

I've spent an OBSCENE amount of money on new Mac Pro, (what with SSD, Thunderbolt Raids, adaptors for whatever equipment, I could still plug in.. I'll keep your idea in mind, if I can't find an alternative work around..
Thanx again..
 
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I could write a lot about current Logic (and Mainstage) with third party plugins, but this would just confirm your experiences. My working channel count ist lower than yours, but I am on a mid 2012 MacBook Pro. Additionally: since a while I also see problems with Logic and CoreAudio/Interface. Yes, only with Logic.

I do also the instrument-to-audio thing you do, but this is not an acceptable workflow for a modern DAW.
 
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The channel strips remain.. But I already have 40 for 2 songs.. I want to clean it up.. The channel strips are great for pulling up an instrument with 2 effects, cause it remembers the exact parameters of everything.. Great when you want to overdub or recreate the original song a year later.. But in the mean time, I will have channelstrips numbering in the hundreds, most of which don't matter to me, Other than exactly recreating something.. I want to 'offload' them to another place, (in a folder for all elements of the song project), and later move them back into Logic's Channel strips, should I so wish.

I keep a song folder for each song, it contains finished song, all Logic songs, (versions) audio, etc. and separate midi files I may have imported or exported.. Midi tracks modified or generated by other software.. Lyrics, song ideas, notes, a list of possible titles.. weblink to Youtube to listen and watch videos in helping me to realize my composition.. reference mp3s of other songs/artists with ideas, I might try to incorporate into my piece.

I seem to remember channelstrips disappearing after a while.. I'm not sure..
 
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What about Atlas' suggestion? Create a project that does nothing other than store the channel strips you want to keep. Transfer the strips back and forth between that project and the one you are working on, as needed.
 
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Channel strip settings are not dependent on project. They become part of Logic's commands.. So if you use a lot of channel strip settings, you will end up with hundreds and hundreds of channel strip settings within Logic itself.. It would be nice, if you had more control over this situation. A full channel strip is invaluable, to get a particular sound, and without the channel strip function, it would be impossible to duplicate an exact sound or effect.

My original question was could I remove theses and then put back in at a later date?. It's pretty obvious now, I can just do the experiment myself.. You can save channel strip settings wherever you like.. However you have no choice on where you load a channel strip from.. It HAS to be in channel strip folder..

After I figure this out, I will post results.. I'm sure there are other users in the same situation.
 
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AFAIK, channelstrips settings, patches settings, plugin parameters settings don't need to be saved as separate entities to remain. When you save a project, all the parameters settings are included and retrieved when you load back the project those were set in (upon saving the project), even if the customized channelstrip had not been saved as a distinct preset. Those unsaved presets could be imported between projects. You also have another project layer (Alternatives) that could help you organize your numerous settings variations.

Besides, you could create custom folders within the User Patches/Channelstrip Settings, in the library. If need be, these preset files could be (manually) copied/moved to another location of your choice (your project folder if so you wish); but outside of their default location, the moved preset files won't be retrieved automatically by Logic, unless you manually move/copy them back to their original due location. Perhaps using alias could alleviate that... That said, without having tested it myself.

Personnally, I would not recommend shuffling around those valuable preset files, considering that Logic's file management structure gets reorganized as it evolve over time.
 
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I have found you can't leave a lot of tracks open with virtual instruments (30 or more).. Logic becomes unstable, and freezes up more often.. Also takes a long time to load project.. I like to leave project as fluid as possible (all live midi), until I'm almost finished.. I often find as I add more instruments, voices, etc.. I want to go back and slightly tweak some of the earlier tracks, change/drop out notes, change sounds, etc.. hence the fluidy needed. This last song I worked on had 20 channel strips.. I don't want to end up with hundreds of channels strips or large amounts of folders, in channel strips. Especially since I probably won't need them later (but want the option to retrieve them)..


I would manually move them.. I'll try with a some made up channel strips first..

Thanx for your suggestions..
 
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